Signal for railways.



No.:645,839. Patented Mar. 20', I900.

C. A. STIMPSON.

SIGNAL FDR RAILWAYS.

(Application filed Aug. 8, 1899,) (No Model.)

i n i qu CLARENCE A. STIMPSON, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. I

SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,839, dated March 20, 1900.

Application filed August 8, 1899. Serial No. 7265525. (No model.)

T0 (0% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. STIMPsoN, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Signals for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

' Myinvention has reference to block-signals for electric railroads; and it consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a suitable system of electric signaling especially adapted to control railways, and more particularly those in which single tracks with turnouts at intervals are employed and upon which the cars run in opposite directions.

In carrying out my invention I provide a normally-closed circuit extending between the turnout-sections and alsoa similar circuit between the portions of the main line adjacent to the turnout-sections. These circuits I provide on one end with a normally-closed switch, whereby the line-circuit may receive current from the trolley-wire or suitable source of energy, said switch being adapted to be opened on the passage of the trolley to interrupt the current. The other end of the said circuits is grounded and includes an electromagnet operating a ground-switch and a distant semaphore or signal. I furthermore employ a shunt-circuit including coils of the electromagnet last described, adapted to energize the same upon closinga'second ground-switch operated by the passing trolley-arm. The first-mentioned end of the linecirouit may also include an electromagnet to operate a semaphore or signal arm adjacent to the section where the car starts and which may be termed the home signal.

The operation of the device is such that when a car passes down the main line it first opens the normally-closed switch, thus destroying the magnetism of the home-signal magnet and causing a danger-signal to be given, and, furthermore, the opening of said circuit destroys the energy of the distant electromagnet operating upon the distant semaphore or signahwhich also goes to danger. After the car has passed over the line and is about to pass to the next section the trolley-arm closes a ground-switch, which en ergizes the magnet of the distant signal and causes its armature to be attracted. This action also closes the other ground-switch and maintains the line-circuit closed after the trolley-car has passed on. The action of this is to throw both the home and distant signals once more to safety. The same action takes place on a similar set of circuits when a car passes from the turnout or siding onto the main line in the opposite direction and again onto the distant turnout. I

My improvements will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a plan View of the track and circuits embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the distant trolley groundswitch. Fig. 3 is the home normally-closed switch, and Fig. 4 is a plan View of same.

A is the main-line track, which has at inter vals in its length turnout-sections B 13;.

C is the main trolley-conductor, and C the turnout trolley-conductors, these being constructed in any well-known manner.

F is a trolley-car, and f the trolley-pole.

I will first describe the signal-circuits in connection with the main line, and it is to be understood that the signal-circuits between the successive turnouts are precisely the same as those of the main line, with the exception that they are reversed, because the cars are running in opposite directions in the two instances. v

' K is the main-line signal-circuit, which connects at one end with a norm ally-closed switch D, (more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4,) and at the other or distant end the line-circuit connects, through an electromagnet N and a ground-switch made up of a contact P and an armature n, with the ground at G. A shuntcircuit B. connects with the main line K adjacent to the ground-contact P andincludes the coils N of the electromagnet N and also connects with the ground through a normallyopen ground-switch E. (Best shown in Fig.2.) The armature 11. operates a semaphore O, which may be of red glass or red fabric and which passes in front of or to one side of an electric or other lamp 0. If an electric lamp is employed, it may be energized from the trolleycircuit by a light-circuit 0'. Any ordinary white light may be employed, if desired. At the other or home end of the circuit I arrange an electromagnet L, which operates an armature Z, connected with a semaphore M similar to that last described and adapted to change the color of the white light m to the red danger-signal whenever the magnet L is demagnetized. If an electric lamp on is employed as the white light, it may be energized by an electric circuit M from the trolley-circuit.

The norm ally-closed home switch D consists of an arm I-I, pivoted and having lateral projections h, adapted to be pressed upward by the wheel of the trolley f as the car passes under it. When the arm II is pressed upward, it opens the normally-closed switch T and interrupts the current in the line-signal circuit K, thereby simultaneously demagnet- 0 f F passes under it. Upon closing the circuit R it will be seen that the current will then pass over the line K, through the main coils of magnet N, then through the coils N of said magnet N, and by circuit R to ground. This will instantly cause the armature Zat the home station and the armature n at the distant station to be drawn up and the signals thrown to fsafety. As soon as the armatures n at the distant station close the circuit K on the contact P the main line L is grounded through N, P, n, K, and G, and the opening of the ground-switch E after the car has passed does not disturb the safety position of the several parts, i

Precisely a similar set of circuits, switchmagnets, and signals is employed in connection with the turnouts B B, onlyin this case the home and distant signals are reversed to suit the opposite direction in which the cars are run. In Fig. 1 the circuits are shown between two adjacent turnouts, which may be half a mile or more apart, and a similar set of signals and circuits are employed between the said turnouts and the next distant turnouts in either direction on the line. The switches for these additional circuits are indicated in dotted lines at D E.

It will be observed that the switches D E on the main line are so located that they are not disturbed by a trolley-car which is re quired to use the turnouts, and likewise the switches E D of the turnouts are not disturbed by the trolley on the cars which are required to remain on the main line.

I have shown the signal-circuits as receiving their en ergizin g-current from the trolley wire; but it is evident that I am not confined to this source of energy, as any suitable source would answer the requirements. I prefer, however, to employ a current from the trolley-wire, as it overcomes the necessity of additional sources of energy and the resulting work and labor in looking after the same. While I have also shown my invention as especially adapted to single-track railways with turnouts, it is selfevident that it may be employed simply as a block system for single tracks without turnouts or for straight double tracks, though its greatest utility will be found in cases where the cars are simultaneously running in opposite directions on different portions of the same main track, which constructions are largely used in suburban railways and trolley-lines traversing country districts.

While I prefer the construction shown, I do not limit myself to the details thereof, as these may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the in vention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to soon re by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electric signal for an electric rail way, the combination of the main track and trolley-wire, of a signal-circuit extending between distant points on the railway one end of the circuit being connected with the trol ley-wire and the other end with the ground or return circuit, a norn'lally-closed switch connecting the signal-circuit with the trolleywire and adapted to be opened on the passing of the trolley or current-collector of the car, an electromagnet and armature at the distant end of the signal-circuit adapted to control a danger-signal, a ground-switch con trolled by the armature to open or close the signal-circuit, and means adjacent to the danger-signal operated by the trolley of the car for closing the said ground'switch and cansing the danger-signal to be thrown to safety position.

2. In an electric signal for an electric railway, the combination of the main track and trolley-wire, of a signal'circuit extending between distant points on the railway one end of the circuit being connected with the trolley-wire and the other end with the ground or return circuit, a normally-closed switch connecting the signal-circuit with the trolleywire and adapted to be opened on the passage of the trolley or current-collector of the car, an electromagnet and armature at the distant end of the signal-circuit adapted to control a danger-signal, aground-switch controlled by the armature to open or close the signal-cir-- cuit, and means adjacent to the danger-signal operated by the trolley of the car for closing the said ground-switch and causing the danger-signal. to be thrown to safety position consisting of an additional electromagnet energizing-coil for operating the armature of the ground-switch a shunt grou nd-circuit and a magnetically-operated and normally'open switch operated by the trolley in passing to temporarily close the shunt ground-circuit.

3. In an electric signal for an electric railway, the combination of the main track and trolley-wire, of a signal-circuit extending between distant points on the railway one end of the circuit being connected with the trolley-wire and the other end with the ground or return circuit, a normally-closed home switch connecting the signal-circuit with the trolley-wire and adapted to be opened on the passage of the trolley 'or current-collector of the car, an electromagnet and armature at the distant end of the signal-circuit adapted to control a distant danger-signal, a groundswitch controlled by the armature to open or close the signal-circuit, means operated by the trolley or collector of the car for closing the said ground-switch and causing the danger-signal to be thrown to safety position, and an electromagnetically-operated home signal arranged adjacent to the normallyclosed home switch.

4:. In an electric signal for an electric railway, the combination of the main track and trolley-wire, of a signal-circuit extending between distant points on the railway one end of the circuit being connected with the trolley-wire and the other end with the ground or return circuit, a normally closed home switch connecting the signal-circuit with the trolley-wire and adapted to be opened on the passage of the trolley or current-collector of the car,an electromagnetically-operated home signal arranged adjacent to the normallyclosed home switch, an electromagnet and armature at the distant end of the signal-circuit adapted to control a distant danger signal, a ground-switch controlled by the armature to open or close the signal-circuit, and means adjacent to the distant signal operated by the trolley of the car for'closing the said groundswitch and causing the distant danger-signal to be thrown to safety position consisting of an additional electromagnetic energizing-coil for operating the armature of the groundswitch, a shunt ground-circuit including said coil and connecting with the line-circuit and a magnetically-operated and normally-opened switch operated by the trolley in passing to temporarily close the shunt ground-circuit.

5. In a sin gle-track electric railway having turnouts at intervals, the combination of the main track and turnouts, the trolley-conductors for said main line and turnouts, and two systems of distant signals oppositely arranged and each consisting of a signal-circuit extending between distant points on the railway one end of the circuit being connected with the trolley-wire and the other end with the ground or return circuit,a normally-closed switch connecting the signal-circuit with the trolley-wire and adapted to be opened on the passage of the trolley or current-collector of the car, an electromagnet and armature at the distant end of the signal-circuit adapted to control a danger-signal, a ground-switch controlled by the armature to open or close the signal-circuit, and means operated by the trolley of the car for closing the said groundswitch and causing the danger-signal to be thrown to safety position, the construction being such that the normally-closed trolleyinterrnpting switches are arranged in con nection with the main-line trolley-conductor and turnout trolley-conductor so as to be operated only by the corresponding cars, and likewise the means operated by the cars for closing the ground-switch on the distant signal are also arranged to be actuated only by the corresponding cars.

6. In ablock-signal system for railways, the combination of a line-circuit extending between two distant parts of the railway, a source of electric energy for supplying current to one end of the line-circuit, anormallyclosed circuit-interrupting switch adapted to be temporarily opened by the passage of a car on the railway, a ground connection for the line-conductor at the distant end thereof, an electromagnetically-operated distant signal energized by the current in the line-circuit, a ground-switch for interrupting the line-circuit and normally held closed by an electromag-- netic device, and means under the control of the car in passing the distant signal for posi-' tively closing the ground-switch for the pur pose of closing the line-circuit and throwing the distant signal to safety.

7. In a block-signal system for railways, the combination of a line-circuit extending be= tween two distant parts of the railway, a source of electric energy for supplying current to one end of the line-circuit, a n0rmally= closed circuit-interrupting switch adapted to be temporarily opened by the passage of a car on the railway, a ground connection for the line conductor at the distant end thereof, an electromagnetically-operated distant signal energized by the current in the line-circuit,- a ground-switch for interrupting the line-circuit and normally held closed by an electromagnetic device, means under the control of the car in passing the distant signal for positively closing the ground-switch for the purpose of closing the line-circuit and throwing the distant signal to safety, and a home electromagnetically-operated signal energized by the current in the line-circuit and arranged adjacent to the normally closed switch for connecting the line conductor and the source of energy.

8. In a block-signal system for railways, the,

combination of a line-circuit extending be-' tween two distant parts of the railway, a source of electric energy for supplying current to oneend of the line-circuit, a normallyclosed circuit-interrupting switch adapted to be temporarily opened by the passage of a car on the railway, a ground connection for the line conductor at the distant end thereof, an electromagnetically-operated distant signal energized by the current in the line-circuit,

too

a ground-switch for interrupting the line-ciring the electromagnetic, device, and a 1116- euit and normally held closed by an electrochanicallyoperated circuitclosing switch magnetic device, and means under the conmoved by the passage of the car for tempotrol of the car in passing the distant signal rarily closing the ground-circuit as the car I5 5 for positively closing the groundswitch and passes the distant signal.

thereby closing the line-circuit and throwing In testimony of which invention I haveherethe distant signal to safety, said means unto set my hand.

comprising an electromagnetic device for op-- CLARENCE A. STIMPSON. erating the ground-switch, a ground-circuit VVit-nesses:

:0 connecting with a source of energy on one J. W. KENWORTHY,

side and the ground on the other and inclndi R. M. KELLY. 

